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AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON SOCIO–ECONOMIC AND PHYSICAL STATUS OF OLD AGED

*Prof. Vijaykumar P. Tupe &

**Prof. Kalpana B. Jamgade

ABSTRACT

At present the population of old age people is dramatically

increasing day by day. Consequently, the growing population of

old age people create imbalance situation within the society and

the modern and changing world is unable to take proper care on

them. So only, they are attracted towards the old age home to

lead a healthy and prosperous life. Some old age people are not

living well along with health so the old age people are compelled

to live in the old age home. Due to physical and mental

determination the old age people become away from the family. As

well as the family status and the economic condition of the

family force the old age people to leave in old age home to lead

a healthy life. Beside the death of the family members the old

age people are unable to service in the family atmosphere. In our

society nearly last fifteen years average age of old age people

has increased up to 8%. In the last 60 years the old age people

were kept on the highest ladder in the family and were perceived

as much respected people in the family society, and community.

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INTRODUCTION

In the process of modernization and

urbanization the concept nuclear family is increasing.

Subsequently, the nurture and rearing practices has not

practicable in the single family. On the other hand the old age

people have been isolated from love, affection, care, emotion

from the family members. But in recent year the hierarchy level

of old age people is experienced lower than previous years. The

physical and mental imbalance of the old age people

* Prof. Vijaykumar P. Tupe, Mob. – 7387712366, 9175686469, e. mail –

vijaytupe38@gmail.com, & **Prof. Kalpana B. Jamgade, Mob. - 9975602258 e.

mail – kalpavijay_2010@rediffmai.com,

Orange City College of Social Work, Nagpur.

create rifts within the family and the family member become

frustrated and feel anxiety consequently, they are unable to do

their work properly and unable to lead healthy life.

Subsequently, the no of old age people is increasing day by day

in the old age home along with increase in population.

Approximately the number of old age people will be increased 166

million in 2025 in India which negatively reinforces the social,

economical cultural predigamenent of the new and modern society.

Since the pension has not been received properly by the old age

people so only old age people are unable to lead good healthy

life and become compel to join in the old age home for mitigating

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their problems in life. Although the popular government is trying

to solve the problem of old age people and in the fifth year plan

of the current year there is no any noticeable change has been

experienced in the age of modernization. Besides the existence of

old age home is not seen for accommodating in the old age home.

The number of widow and others are increasing day by day along

with increase in population. In fact they are seeking a solace of

an identity of their worn in the troubled times we are living in.

It has been reported the nearly 45

percent of old age man and 6.7 % of old age women are not able

to alive in the modern society and community .So only National

Survey has imposed that the problem may be arisen in society as

well as community which negatively reinforces the culture of

modernization and urbanization. The care taking ability is to be

seen was in the old age community. The Gram Panchayat has taken a

positive step for the upliftment of old age home but the

condition of old age home people is gradually deterioted day by

day. The humanistic approach indicator that the special

protection has been given to old age people properly in order to

solve their problems in life. The number of old age home is to be

seen high in Kerala and Tamilnadu state in comparison with other

state of India. Generally the old age home is functioning by

religious organization. And the facility has been given to them

to stand in good stead for taking the challenges of life.

Generally, the rural old age people are unable to lead a healthy

life because they are less competent to maintain their problems

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and family life in comparison to urban area. It has been often

seen that at the old age heart attack, Blood-presser, diabetes,

Asthma, Joint pain, internal urinal disabilities etc. are

automatically arisen, subsequently, the feel helpless, insecure

and develop a sense of family isolation. In the Indian society if

the number of service holder are seen high in the family the care

taking process and house hold management is to be seen low which

negatively reinforces the old people care process. In the age of

modernization in the joint family the number of children and old

age people are seen high consequently.

The raring process is not practicable adequately so only the

number of old age people are increasing day by day in the old age

home. The wife and husband of old age people are living together

the life of old age people become happy on other hand if any one

expire the problem of old age people automatically arisen and she

or he become helpless in life. The raring practices of old age

people as well as their nurture in the age of modernization

creating a problematic situation in the family. Therefore,

several statements about the care taking process of old age

people are coming in the society.

OBJECTIVE

To study on the social – economic and physical status and

life style of aged. To study the problems and impact of old aged

on their socio-economic situation and life.

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METHOD OF STUDY

The empiric-analytical research design was adopted in this

study. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the Life

style, problem, old aged. It is an empirical study to analysis of

fact and present social reality with solution of the problem. In

this qualitative study, the scientific field observation and 48

interviews were conducted for data collection and that relevant

literature facts compiled for analysis – interpretation on basis

of aim and objectives of the study for presents the social

reality.

DISCUSSION AND RESULT

Population of the aged has been progressively increasing

with every census. According to the 1081 census, the population

of the aged persons above the age of 60 years was only 4.39

crores which constituted only 6.42 per cent of the total

population. Whereas the 1991 census showed that it rose to 5,53

crores (6.35 per cent). The future estimates indicate that it

will increase to 17.7 crores (12.3 per cent) by 2025. In a

developing country like India where 30 per cent of the population

is still below poverty line, the target group of the poor and

needy aged is very large. To ensure better quality of life and

dignity to these less privileged aged persons, the resources of

the state government and central government may not be

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sufficient, particularly in view of the fact that the welfare of

the aged is low priority programmed as compared to other

programmes of welfare.

Graying population is one of the most significant

characteristic of twentieth century. Recent demographic trends

have shown a considerable increase in elderly population all over

the world. In 1950 there were about 200 million people over 60

years throughout the world. In the year 2000, this number

increased to 550 million, and by 2025 there will be about 1.2

billion. The rate of growth of older population is highest in

developing countries. The world population of people over 60

increased by more than 12 million in 1995, and 80% of the

increase occurred in developing countries (UN Population

Division, 1996). In India elderly population has doubled from

24.7 million (5.6% of total population) in 1961 to 56.7 million

(6.8% of total populati9on) in 1991 and is expected to be 70.6

million (6.97%) in 2001 and approximately 113 million (8.94%) by

2016 (Registrar General of India, 1991, 1996).

Estimated and Projected population (in thousands) aged 60 Over by

Sex and Age Group, India

Years 60-69 70-79 80+

Males Females Males Females Males Females

1960 6,572 6,155 4,870 4,771 1,011 996

1980 13,122 11,879 5,127 4,799 9,04 889

2000 24,218 23,962 11,017 10,543 20,51 2,027

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2020 41,876 41,224 19,206 20,167 4,641 5,174

2025 50,601 49,849 22,350 23,356 5,443 6,216

(Source: United Nation (Department of International Economics and

Social Affairs)

Characteristics of Old Age

Like every other period in the life span, old age is

characterized by certain physical and psychological changes. The

effects of these changes determine, to a large extent, whether

elderly men and women will make good or poor personal and social

adjustments. The characteristics of old age, however, are far

more likely to lead to poor adjustments than to good, and to

unhappiness rather than to happiness. That is why old age is even

more dreaded in the American culture of today than middle age.

The characteristics of old age are following:

i. Old age is a period of decline.

ii. There are individual differences in the effect of aging.

iii. Old age is judged by different criteria.

iv. There are many stereotypes of old people.

v. Social attitudes toward old age.

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vi. The elderly have a minority group status.

vii. Aging requires role changes.

viii. Poor adjustment is characteristic of old age.

Physiological

According to the New Encyclopedia Britannica

(1989: 148) aging means progressive physiological function and

its ability to adapt to metabolic stress. In human, aging causes

a loss of calcium from the bones, increasing the fragility the

skeletons and slowing the rate of healing of fractures.

Sociological

Individuals derive social meaning and develop

expectation regarding themselves, their families and their

society as they grow older during the process of aging and within

the context of historical, social, culture, and economic

situations. Older persons who were born at a particular

historical time, and in a particular region and society belong to

a cohort-sharing, similar social and historical experiences, life

styles, and other characteristics which differentiate them from

other older persons born at different historical period in divers

social situations.

In India, Shashtyibdipurti, which means completion of 60

years, is traditionally celebrated. Completion of 80 years i.e.

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Sahastrachandra Darshan is also celebrated and is equated with

the achievement of the full life span of one hundred years.

Celebration of these imported events however, is observed only in

the affluent section of the society. In most of the societies

such as the Chinese, the beginning of the old age is marked by

the sixty-first birthday. In ancient China, the calendar year was

named with the combination of two sets of Chinese characters. One

consisted of twelve characters and the other five characters.

Therefore, on becoming sixty-one years old, the name of the years

becomes the same as that of the year of birth. Hence, the sixty-

first year after birth is called ‘Kanreki’ (return of the

calendar) which is often regarded as the beginning of second

childhood. Consequently, the terms of social functioning, the

years between fifty and sixty are a transition period. During

this transition period, Chinese men and women increasingly come

to be seen by other and by themselves as old, which years after

sixty marks a clear-cut turning point and are virtually always

designated as the stage of old age.

In India society, irrespective of the chronological age of

the persons, the marriage of one’s children, particularly of

sons, is the starting of old age. This is more so for women. The

onset of old age in India and many other societies starts from

the arrival of grandchildren. The birth of the first

grandchildren also encourages identification of oneself as an old

person. In some societies persons may achieve the old age status

of grandparenthood in their thirties whereas in other this status

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may be achieved at an advanced age if child bearing is delayed

due to women’s pursuit for education and career. For instance

grand parenthood may come to some person at the age of thirty-

five or thirty-six, if they had their first child at about

eighteen and if the first born also had a child at eighteen.

Thus, even if persons are defined as ‘elderly’ with reference to

similar roles, wider differences are noticed among societies in

the chronological age at which roles are attained.

Old Age in Hindu Scriptures

According to Hindu scriptures the life of a man divided into

four stages of ashrams. These are Brahmacharya, Grihastha,

Vanprastha and Samnyasa.

Brahmachrya is the stage of study, discipline and celibacy

and the second is Grihastha that of the householder. Vanprastra

stage starts when hair of householder turns gray and when he sees

his son’s son. He relinquishes his responsibility to his son and

retires from the active pursuit of material life. He lives away

from griha (home) ,kula (family) and the grama (village) and goes

to the forest either with is allowed to stay with him in

forest ,he should withdraw from sexual relations, and bring his

senses of enjoyment under control .This preparatory stage of

final separation from the pains and pleasure of human life. In

the last stage, samnyasa the individual leads life of a recluse

striving for the attainment of his spiritual goals and the final

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salvation ,moksha . A staff, a begging bowl, and a few rags of

clothing’s remain his only belongings.

A sanyasin or an ascetic is a person who has made

complete (Sam) renunciation (nyasa) of everything, a totally

detached person (Prabhu, 1961:83-89).However; this has been the

spiritual ideal, but not the usual practice. Further, observance

of the four ashrams was expected of only of those who were born

into the twice born castes –Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas

(rulers) and Vaishas (merchants) .The scriptural prescription of

detachedness was never practiced by a significant section of the

society. Only a negligibly small number belonging to upper class

might have observed this law in the remote past. Though most

persons do not specifically follow the two stage i.e. Vanaprastra

and sanyasa, they certainly have an influence on the thinking and

behaviors of the people. The scriptures did not specify whether

the four ashrams should be observed by women or not.

Based on the above discussion, it is evident that old

age has many connotations and there was no specific definition.

This is because it is not merely a statistical categorization of

fact but depend on the socio-cultural norms of a particular

society to which the persons to be defined belongs.

Physical changes

To most people, getting older means continuing to

lose beauty, strength and vigor. Although physical changes

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characterize the entire phase of adulthood, these changes rarely

have much effect on a person's everyday life in the early and

middle adult years. It is only in later life that the cumulative

changes tend to catch up with the

Individual and begin to interfere with his everyday

effectiveness and his daily patterns and habits. Although there

are great individual differences in the rates of aging, most

people can estimate an individual's age, give or take a few

years, just by looking at him. During later adulthood, the hair

turns white and becomes sparse where as hair tend to get thinner

on top of the head, it starts to grow for the first time on the

chins of older women. The skin looses its natural moisture and

elasticity, and it becomes more and more wrinkled. Many people

loose their teeth, which causes the lower part of the face to

become shortened and brings the nose, which lengthens as the

skin's elasticity decreases, nearer to the chin. Eyelids thicken,

and hollow develops beneath the eyes. Other changes also take

part inside the older adult’s body; they have no effect in their

ability to function and to adapt to stress and change. It

probably works as well as it ever did when the person is resting,

but, when he is exposed to stress, as during exercise or fear,

his heart dose not react as fast or as well. After stress, it

takes longer for the elder heart to return to its normal level of

beating and pumping.

There are two theories which provide explanation for these

physical declines.

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Genetic preprogramming theories of aging,

Wear-and -tear theories of aging.

According to genetic preprogramming theory of aging, there is a

built in time limit to the reproduction of human cells and after

a certain time they are no longer able to divide. While another

theory maintaining the same idea suggests that some cells are

genetically preprogrammed to become harmful to body after a

certain amount of time has gone by, causing the internal biology

of the body to self destruct.

Another explanation is provided by wear and tear theories of

aging, which is of the opinion that mechanical functions of the

body simply stop working efficiently. Moreever, waste by products

of energy production eventually accumulates and mistakes are made

when cells reproduce. Eventually the body in effect wears out.

Though it is not certain as to which theory provides a better

explanation of physical aging process, but it is certain that

physical aging is not a disease, but a natural biological

process.

Cognitive Changes in Old Age

The changes in processing are very individual. Though brain

cells do not replicate after early development is complete, i.e.

there is no more cells division and replacement of nervous system

cells that die. But another kind of development of that appears

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to continue well into old age is branching and connecting of

existing nerves. New connections continue to be formed. A general

finding is that, in reaction time experiments, the older adults

do less well than younger adults, which suggests that cognitive

processing time increases with age. Yet with practice and

motivation, older adults can decrease their reaction times.

However, older adults never regain the speed of younger adults

who also increase their speed with practice.

One reason for the developmental changes in intellectual

functioning is that certain types of abilities may be more

sensitive to changes in nervous system than others. Another

factor may be the degree to which the two kinds of intelligence

are used during person’s lifetime. Memory too is affected by

aging but not in the way that is popularly thought. The kind of

memory that seems to deteriorate older adults is episodic memory,

which relates to specific experiences about our lives.

Some cases of memory loss are produced by actual disease.

For instance, Alzheimer’s disease, which involves the progressive

deterioration of the cells of the brain, leading to a gradual and

irreversible decline in mental abilities. In other cases, the

symptoms of senility are caused by temporary anxiety and

depression or may even be due to overmedication. So, the declines

in cognitive functioning in the old age, for the most part are

not unavoidable. But by providing them some degree of

intellectual stimulation may help in maintaining their cognitive

skills.

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Social Life Changes

One of the toughest problems that older people have

to deal with is the feeling of not being needed. Only about 17%

of men and women between sixty and seventy-four have contacts

with relatives who visit them or with people who live in their

building. After the age of seventy-five, people are more likely

to be socially isolated and older women are generally more

isolated than men. Despite decreasing social participation,

people over sixty continue to participate m the political

process. Older people do vote and they actively discuss political

issues and generally are well informed, because they watch the

news on television and read newspaper.

When people reach later adulthood, they are more likely than

at any other age in "to seek out people who are like themselves.

This is especially true among older people who live in an area,

where there are large numbers of old people, and among Mere

people in the lower socioeconomic class. Older people with a

middle class background also tend to be less dependent on their

immediate neighborhood for their. In general, it is retirement

that ushers in a number of changes in people's social life. But

many, more than retirement itself, determines what an older

person does with his own time. Retirement makes it possible for

older people to spend more time in leisure activities, if he or

she can afford them.

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The idea of retirement, which means that a person can have

as much free time as he chooses, makes many people anxious. Thus,

retirement makes some men feel useless and leads them to question

who they are in a kind of second identity crisis. This is more

likely to happen to the man whose life has centered on his work.

However, well - educated professional women who have devoted

themselves to work may be even more reluctant than men to retire.

Older women are especially likely to spend more time around the

home and in activities. During later years, religious

feelings and beliefs become more important for those people who

had religious convictions earlier in life.

Old Age Problems: Social Aspect

Old age is a universal phenomenon with varying degrees

of probability Individuals survive childhood, grow to maturity

and become old in all societies. Although age and aging are

described as the characteristics of individuals, yet are often

overlooked as fundamental aspects of social structures and social

dynamics. In every society both the population and the roles are

stratified by class or sex. Which shift and change as society

changes, are among the bases of social organization e socio -

cultural life and the historical course of mankind.

A person's activities, his attitude towards life, his

relationship to his family or to his work; his biological

capacities and his physical fitness are all conditioned by his

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position in the age structure of the particular society in which

he lives and as this structure changes, people age in different

ways. Thus human beings of different ages cannot be understood

apart from the age strata of the society in which they are

inextricably involved, nor can human aging be understood apart

from societal processes

Problems Socio: Psychological Aspect

The growing number of aged person is not in itself a social

problem; if a social problem is denned as a state of affairs

which needs correction. Few persons would seriously maintain that

it is wrong to have many older people in the population or that

remedial steps should be taken to peer down their numbers. On the

contrary, nations prize longevity and count it an accomplishment,

not a failure, that increasing number of men and women live to

old age. The problem is the lack of preparation for the "sudden

appearance of large number of older people and the lag in

adapting social institutions to their needs".

This changing demographic structure of population in western

industrialized societies was the common point of departure for

those who initially viewed with alarm the social implications of

increasing life expectancy and an increasing number of older

persons whose health and welfare needs would obviously strain

existing social arrangements. The constant increase in number of

percentage of the aged as a result of the increasing rate, the

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deceasing death rate in infancy, childhood youth and middle age

and life span of old age has caused short and long term effects

on the society.

In the last 25 years radical changes have taken place in

their problems. The widespread results of urbanization including

industrialization, town dwelling and assimilation, of the

patterns of industrial civilization by the agricultural community

have transformed the characterizing features of the population

and although to a smaller degree, the characteristics of the

aged. Above all, they have changed some aspects of the social,

family, affective and economic relationship between various

generations. In particular the transformation of the traditional

family structure from vertical to horizontal has brought about a

constantly increasing exclusion of the aged from traditional,

social, and familial roles of prestige and has placed them in

marginal position.

Population and the extension of life in the more developed

nations are beginning to emerge in less developed countries. It

is both, ironic and doubly frustrating that recent successes in

the achievement larger life should also produce the "problem of

aging". The very same progress "that makes" it possible for such

a large proportion of our population to reach old age has

produced the changes that make today's elderly essentially a

dependent group shorn of their traditional and most consequential

functions, roles and sources of status. The designation “an

elderly" is no longer a title of respect and recognition of

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wisdom and experience. Instead, we search for euphemism for old

age like "golden ages" or "senior citizen. The elder's loss of

status, role and function in society and family is an unplanned

‘by - product of industrialization and urbanization a necessary

component of economic development. The rural and small town

multi-generation household has been supplanted by the urban

nuclear family with the elderly cut further shift in separate

households amid changing relationships with adult children.

Problem of Aged

Problems of aged in India are much different than the

problems of aged in developed countries. The problems of Indian

senior citizens had increased to a great number during the last

30 yrs. prior to that the social structure and the social values

were much different than what we observed today. Previously, the

old people were respected in the society. Members in the family

were paying attention to them, and most of their needs were

fulfilled. Now a day the picture has changed radically. There is

an unimaginable change in the value system of Indians living in

cities, towns; and even the fills are not remained unaffected.

Not even the younger generation, but even the middle aged

persons in the family find it difficult to take out time to look

after the old persons in the family. Those which were luxuries

previously became necessities today. Prices of all the goods have

increased tremendously. The earnings are not increasing, and what

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is more important that the distribution of earning is not normal,

but it is skewed. As a result in most families the old and

retired people have become a kind of burden. Even among the

families that are financially sound, the members have to work

hard to maintain their standard of living; and to keep their

interest and assignments intact, they have to work hard.

Apart from the physical and psychological problems

there are many old people who face financial problems, even after

working through out their life. Those who earn attractive salary

or inherit ancestral property they are always very few in number.

Even after working hard, a large population of this country

cannot afford a good house or a fiat in the area of their

preference. After retirement most amounts is spent on educating

and developing the children, and constructing a good house or

purchasing a flat. Because of medical facilities and improved

living standard longevity of the people has increased, but day by

day the prices of the necessary commodities are also increasing.

The income sources are rescued, but the expenditure not only

remains the same, it goes on increasing. In such condition, it

becomes difficult for the old people to fulfill their.

CONCLUSION

Worse, many elderly now accept society's negative image of

old age a self fulfilling prophecy. Meanwhile, "the mandatory

retirement regulations, the reduced relative manpower

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requirements due to technological change and slower growth of the

economy, and the obsolescence of old skills have combined to

squeeze the vast majority of older persons out of labor force,

whether or not they are physically, psychologically or

economically ready for retirement from their life's major

activity". With advancing age land as time passes, there are many

deteriorative changes which the aged experience. The

deteriorative changes are socio-psycho-physiological in nature.

The socio-psychological losses are loss of loved and significant

figures (such of friends, children, spouse), isolation,

loneliness and uprooting status loss, prestige loss, economic

loss, income drop, inflation retirement from active to inactive,

and problems of leisure time, cultural devaluation sense of

uselessness, alienation and segregation. The physiological losses

are: physical diseases, perceptual decrement, sexual losses, loss

of integrative systems, hormonal, vascular and central nervous

system, brain damage, small dementia, physical limitations,

arthritis, loss of speed of processes and responses, decrease

thyroid function, decrease albumens, altered elasticity of skin

blood vessels, body size and appearance.

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Presented in International seminar on ‘Aged for Aging’ and publishing at the SeminarProceeding. Organized by Dept. of Sociology, R.T.M. N.U; Nagpur.